WPP’s tough year just got worse. Days after CEO Mark Read announced plans to step down by the end of 2025, the company is now losing one of its largest media accounts: Mars.
According to multiple sources familiar with the matter, Mars is shifting its $1.7 billion media business to Publicis. The move follows a competitive review process that began last fall and ends a long-standing relationship between Mars and WPP’s media teams.
Mars Overhauls Its Agency Model
The media shift is part of a broader overhaul across Mars’ marketing operations. The company conducted a full review of its global agency structure in late 2023, covering not just media but also social, production, PR, influencer work, and commerce.
As reported by The Drum, Mars has selected Publicis to lead its media, production, influencer marketing, and connected commerce. Meanwhile, IPG’s Weber Shandwick will handle brand PR. Creative responsibilities will stay with Omnicom.
According to Campaign, the move follows Mars’ plan to create a more streamlined agency ecosystem and build what it describes as a more integrated marketing structure that reflects today’s media realities.
This new setup will roll out across Mars’ largest businesses, including Mars Snacking, Mars Petcare, and Mars Food and Nutrition, starting in early 2026.
From Consolidation to Competition
WPP originally won the global Mars media account in 2018. At the time, it consolidated media buying under GroupM (now WPP Media), phasing out a three-agency model that included Starcom and OMD.
But the landscape has shifted. Mars has chosen to split its business once again – placing key functions with Publicis and IPG, and sidelining WPP from one of its most valuable global relationships.
Another Hit to WPP’s Portfolio
This isn’t the first time Publicis has taken business from WPP this year. As noted by Digiday, Coca-Cola’s $800 million North American media account also moved to Publicis in March. These back-to-back losses raise questions about WPP’s ability to retain large-scale clients at a time when competition among holding companies is only intensifying.
Mark Read’s leadership saw a number of major structural moves – investments in AI, a partnership with Nvidia, and the acquisition of InfoSum among them. But despite those efforts, WPP’s market value has dropped by half in recent years, now sitting at around $6 billion.
Publicis Gains Momentum
Publicis, by contrast, is growing. Its recent acquisitions – Influential, Captiv8, and Lotame – have expanded its data and creator capabilities. As reported by The Drum, Mars also tapped Publicis to lead connected commerce initiatives, reinforcing the group’s broader positioning across paid, earned, and owned media channels.
Mars’ chief marketing and growth officer Gülen Bengi described the shift as part of a larger transformation: “We’re putting fans and communities in the driver’s seat through unprecedented co-creation of brand experiences, connected across the full consumer journey.”
What WPP Is Betting On Now
WPP is now looking to GroupM veteran Brian Lesser to reshape its media strategy. He’s tasked with scaling Open Media Studio – WPP’s in-house AI platform – and driving operational efficiencies across its media operations.
Industry analysts say WPP needs time and space to execute this plan. “Lesser and WPP Media need room to deliver,” said Forrester VP Jay Pattisall. But others remain skeptical.
Marcy Samet, founder of agency consultancy LBRB COLLECTIVE, said: “Creative wins don’t mean your business is healthy. AI claims don’t mean you’ve transformed. Scale without clarity is just noise.”
The Path Forward
WPP’s next phase depends on execution. With Mars and Coca-Cola now in Publicis’ hands, WPP must show that its investments in AI and internal platforms can translate into real client value.
The loss of Mars doesn’t just impact WPP’s revenue – it signals a broader shift in what global brands expect from their agency partners.
